Wigan ace Josh Charnley will add swagger to Sale Sharks

Martin Offiah says Sale have swapped one box-office “maverick” for another after signing Wigan RL ace Josh Charnley for next season.
Charnley will arrive at the AJ Bell Stadium once his Super League commitments are over in the autumn.
The 24-year-old will join a Sharks squad shorn of Danny Cipriani who has decided to return to former club Wasps after three successful years in the north-west.
Wigan legend Offiah told TRP: “They’ve got one maverick type of player coming in and one maverick type of player going out.
“Maybe they’ve bought him to generate a bit of excitement. Danny Cipriani has been a big player for them. It will be interesting to see where Josh plays and how it all pans out.
“It’s exciting for Sale because the last big signing they made on the wing from Wigan was Jason Robinson so he has big shoes to fill.
“He is the probably the biggest name player to switch from Super League for a little while, probably the biggest since Kyle Eastmond moved to Bath from St Helens.”
Charnley has scored virtually a try a game for Wigan in over 150 appearances and won everything the 13-man code has to offer, including seven England caps.
Super League’s top try scorer in 2012 and 2013, the Chorley-born winger/full-back has struggled to nail down a regular first team spot at Wigan in recent seasons but was back to his best in Wigan’s Easter Monday win over Hull KR.
“He scored a hat-trick and had a couple of length-of-the-field runs. We saw then what he is like on top form,” said Offiah.
“He is more than the sum of his parts, he has got that certain something that great players have. He has a mixture of power and pace and when he puts it all together he is great to watch.
“When he’s confident he has a swagger about him.”
Sale supremo Steve Diamond said: “His ambition is to play at the highest level and his first obstacle is to get picked here.
“If he does that and consistently plays well, then I’m sure the new England set-up will look at players like him.
“We’re getting an established international finisher. His strike rate is one try a game over 150 games, which is unbelievable.
“If he doesn’t make it after a year or two, then he could always go back and be a top-class Rugby League player.”
Charnley’s move to Sale from Wigan comes 12 months after Sharks attack coach Paul Deacon trod the same path.
Deacon’s knowledge of the player and the difficulties he will face in switching codes will no doubt play a massive part in how well he adapts.
Sensibly Sale intend playing him at full-back/wing, the role he fulfils with Wigan.
Offiah added: “It’s sad for Rugby League that another top quality player gets to the top of our game and looks for an exit strategy. But it’s good on one hand for the Super League competition because it shows the quality of coaching at junior level and the core skills that the players have.
“The rucking and the technical parts of Union can be picked up but some things can’t be picked up in a heartbeat – the ability to catch and pass and tackle and be courageous – and Josh has all of those skills.”
Meanwhile, Sale have announced the signature of US Eagles fly-half AJ McGinty from Connacht.
The 26-year-old was the Eagles’ star man at RWC2015 and has carried on in the same vein at Connacht where he has been a main thrust in their  table-topping campaign.
Director of rugby Steve Diamond said: “He is by far the best fly-half in the Pro12; great in defence and has an 80 per cent success rate kicking his points.
“I am sure that when he works with Paul Deacon here at Sharks he will become the finished article. He will be a great addition to the squad and we are looking forward to AJ joining us pre-season.”
McGinty said: “I am very excited to be joining Sale. They are a club with great ambition and I look forward to the challenges ahead.”
JON NEWCOMBE